Tuesday Tomorrow
Clown Town by Mick Herron
Published by: Soho Crime
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Jackson Lamb and the bad spies of Slough House are caught in a deadly battle between MI5's secret past and its murky future in this gripping, hilarious, and heartbreaking thriller by Mick Herron, "the le Carré of the future" (BBC).
"Old spies grow ridiculous, River. Old spies aren't much better than clowns." Or so David Cartwright, the late retired head of MI5, used to tell his grandson. He forgot to add that old spies can be dangerous, too, especially if they've fallen on hard times - as River Cartwright is about to learn the hard way.
David Cartwright, long buried, has left his library to the Spooks' College in Oxford, and now one of the books is missing. Or perhaps it never existed. River, once a "slow horse" of Slough House, MI5's outpost for demoted and disgraced spies, has some time to kill while awaiting medical clearance to return to work, and starts investigating the secrets of his grandfather's library.
Over at the Park, MI5 First Desk Diana Taverner is in a pickle. An operation carried out during the height of the Troubles laid bare the ugly side of state security, and those involved are threatening to expose details. But every threat hides an opportunity, and Taverner has come up with a scheme. All she needs is the right dupe to get caught holding the bag.
Jackson Lamb, the enigmatic and odiferous head of Slough House, has no plans to send in the clowns. On the other hand, if the clowns ignore his instructions, any harm that befalls them is hardly his fault. But they're his clowns. And if they don't all make it home, there'll be a reckoning."
I mean, my obsession with Slow Horses is epic. Therefore my obsession with Mick Herron is epic. The fact that I also get River at Oxford dealing with a library!?! All my Inspector Morse dreams come true!
Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories by Lee Child
Published by: Mysterious Press
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 192 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"After making his debut in 1997's The Killing Floor, Jack Reacher has quickly become one of the most popular - and most enduring - fictional heroes to emerge in the past half century. Now, his creator tells the stories behind the stories.
These are the origin tales of all of the Reacher novels written solely by Lee Child, chock full of colorful anecdotes and intriguing inspirations. One by one, they expand upon each novel and place it in the context not only of the author's life, but of the world outside the books. And taken together, they chart the rise of an action icon, from 1997's The Killing Floor to 2019's Blue Moon. An afterword by crime fiction expert and bookseller Otto Penzler considers the importance of the character and novels in the canon of contemporary crime fiction.
In addition to the essays, this collection also includes an original Reacher short story - the first new Reacher appearance entirely written by Lee Child since 2019. Entertaining and enlightening, Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories is a must-read for fans of the Jack Reacher series and a capstone to any collection of this excellent author."
While I'm not a fan of Reacher, being a fan of Tasha Alexander means I've heard a lot of her husband Andrew's stories about his brother Lee. And let me tell you, the stories behind the stories is a must read for me.
The Knives by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 200 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"THE FIRST NEW CRIMINAL BOOK IN FIVE YEARS!
With the Prime Video adaptation premiering soon, crime comic grandmasters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips return to their most acclaimed series with a new standalone graphic novel: The Knives.
A sprawling Criminal epic, The Knives is the most ambitious tale Brubaker and Phillips have ever tackled. Three dark journeys wind around each other over a decade, like sharks hunting for a kill.
Cartoonist Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood in the era of peak TV to work on an adaptation of his comic strip, only to find himself caught up in the life of his aging aunt and the vultures circling her estate. Angie was raised at the Undertow, but now everything she loves has been taken from her. She's on the streets with vengeance on her mind, her eyes set on the city's kingpin. And finally, Tracy Lawless is home from the Special Forces, finally a civilian again, but he's in bad shape and this city has always brought out the worst in him.
These three tales collide in The Knives a breathtaking noir story about greed, ambition, heartbreak, and blood ties. A must-have for all Brubaker and Phillips fans!"
This is the second Criminal story to be done directly as a graphic novel, which is the new M.O. of Brubaker and Phillips. Personally, I love this direction and can't wait to dive in. They are, for me, the best of the best of their genre, noir AND graphic novels.
Seven Reasons to Murder your Dinner Guests by K.J. Whittle
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Three courses. Seven guests. One card.
It's a deadly evening they'll never forget.
Seven strangers meet for an anonymously hosted dinner party. As the evening winds down, seven cards appear, one in front of each of the guests. On the card is a number - the age at which they will die. Thinking it an elaborate prank, the guests disperse into the night, hoping to forget the morbid evening forever.
Two weeks later, one of them is dead at exactly the age the card predicted.
It must be a coincidence. But as more guests die, each one dead at the same age as their card, it soon becomes clear that something much more sinister is afoot. Now, it's up to the quickly dwindling group to figure out who (or what) was behind that fateful dinner party, before their numbers catch up with them.
Told from the perspectives of each of the seven guests, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a spellbinding and mysterious exploration of mortality, begging the question: how would you live your life if you knew your number was up?"
And this is why I never accept invites to anonymously hosted dinner parties!
The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jónasson
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The next thrilling golden-age-style mystery from #1 Icelandic bestseller Ragnar Jónasson, author of Death at the Sanatorium and Reykjavík.
One winter evening, bestselling crime author Elín S. Jónsdóttir goes missing.
There are no clues to her disappearance and it is up to young detective Helgi to crack the case before its leaked to the press.
As Helgi interviews the people closest to her - a publisher, an accountant, a retired judge - he realizes that Elín's life wasn't what it seemed. In fact, her past is even stranger than the fiction she wrote.
As the case of the missing crime writer becomes more mysterious by the hour, Helgi must uncover the secrets of the writer's very unexpected life."
I mean, I think being a crime writer you have to have a mysterious past that catches up to you right?
Death in the Aviary by Victoria Dowd
Published by: Datura Books
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A 'locked lift' mystery for Golden Age crime fans, from award-winning author Victoria Dowd.
New Year's Eve 1928 - In the grand residence of Ravenswick Abbey, isolated in the wilds of Dartmoor, nine members of the household step into an ornate lift. The power fails. The lift stops. In the darkness, a single shot is fired.
When the light returns, Charles Ravenswick - the heir to the Ravenswick fortune - is dead on the floor. No one could have got in or out. All have motives, and none have alibis.
A year later under the pretence of reporting on the family's infamous ravens, sparky Charlotte Blood investigates. She finds a house haunted by suspicion and secrets. She must unravel the mystery and with it the terrible truth behind the entire Ravenswick family. Her search will not only lead her down a dangerous path, it will reveal dark secrets that lurk in her own life..."
I mean, murder in such a confined space is an art in and of itself. There was a great episode of Remington Steele about an elevator murder.
To Chase the Glowing Hours by Katherine Kirkpatrick
Published by: Regal House Publishing
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 246 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In November 1922, Lady Eve, the twenty-one-year-old daughter of the Earl of Carnarvon, embarks on an extraordinary journey from her opulent home of Highclere Castle to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.
Alongside her father and his hired archaeologist, Howard Carter, Eve experiences a breathtaking moment when she glimpses the lavish treasures of King Tutankhamun through a peephole in the inner doorway of an ancient, underground tomb.
Amidst the excitement of her adventure, Eve finds herself drawn to the brilliant yet temperamental Carter.
But as news of the treasures spreads, the trio faces challenges from peasant laborers, Egyptian nationalists, and combative reporters.
When tragedy strikes, Eve becomes embroiled in a dramatic struggle to secure her family's claim to the newfound riches, all while navigating her conflicting feelings for Carter and a suitor from her own social class.
To Chase the Glowing Hours is a poignant coming-of-age tale that follows Eve's journey from a sheltered girl to a resilient young woman."
Let's hope it's better than that schlocky miniseries from a few years ago covering the same ground...
The Return of Moriarty by Jack Anderson
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"After Professor Moriarty survives Reichenbach Falls and Sherlock Holmes dies, Moriarty finds himself caught up in a locked-room mystery Holmes couldn't solve.
This time, it's up to Moriarty to crack the mystery, perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes ingenious retellings like the ones by Anthony Horowitz and Laurie R. King.
Upon escaping from Reichenbach Falls, his empire in ruins, criminal mastermind James Moriarty takes the identity of wealthy inventor Hugo Strahm and embarks on a dark pilgrimage to the cliffside manor of Schloss Alber in Bavaria.
When medical student Clara Mendel returns to Schloss Alber, she finds her childhood home on the verge of ruin. A deadly feud over a priceless heirloom has thrown the Alber family into chaos while its walls play host to an unusual cast of characters - the obstinate Lord Alber, his strange and beleaguered children, their cantankerous butler, and of course, their mysterious new guest, "Hugo Strahm." When one of them is poisoned at dinner, it's the first act in a spiraling criminal conspiracy, in which any and all of them are suspects.
Working with the sharp and inquisitive Clara, the former crime lord attempts to solve the mystery whilst trying to keep his true identity concealed. Yet despite taking on the role of detective, Moriarty does not share Sherlock Holmes's methods, nor his interest in justice. Only one thing is certain, for James Moriarty, dying at the hands of Sherlock Holmes would have been an elegant end...The question of what comes next is far more complicated.
This cleverly plotted mystery is a faithful and inventive take on the Sherlock Holmes legacy, paying homage to Arthur Conan Doyle's signature style while adding its own devious tricks to the story that is destined to become a must-read classic for Sherlock Holmes fans."
My guess is Moriarty might hire or kill the culprit...
Lady Like by Mackenzi Lee
Published by: Dial Press Trade Paperback
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Two women set their sights on marrying the same duke, but instead of becoming enemies, they find themselves falling in love - though not with him.
Harriet Lockhart never planned to marry. She has spent her life defying expectations, playing male roles on London's seediest stages, and doing whatever she pleases. When Harry is contacted by her hitherto anonymous father, she finds herself at risk of losing the trust fund that's subsidized her lifestyle - unless she begins to lead a more respectable life, starting with finding a husband.
Emily Sergeant, the picture of modesty, has only ever wanted to marry. And were it not for one mistake in her youth that rendered her a social pariah, she would be appropriately betrothed. Instead, she's due to wed the only willing - and most abominable - man in her small town. Desperate for an alternative, Emily flees to London to snag a less lecherous fiancé.
Worlds collide, dramatically and hilariously, when both women decide on the very same duke as their best possible chance at a tolerable husband and a secure future. A tongue-in-cheek romp through London's summer season, from balls to brothels, horseraces to duels, Harry and Emily compete for the duke's favor, only to find their true hearts' desires may be more compatible than they could have ever predicted."
I'm just saying, there could be a combination lavender marriage throuple situation here.
The Belles by Lacey N. Dunham
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In this richly atmospheric, dark academia debut novel, a young woman with a secretive past will risk everything - including her life - to fit in.
Belles never tell...
It's 1951 at the secluded Bellerton College, and Deena Williams is an outsider doing her best to blend in with her wealthy and perfectly groomed peers. Infamous for its strict rules as much as its prestige, attending Bellerton could give Deena the comfortable life she's always dreamed of.
She quickly forms an alliance with the five other freshmen on her floor, and soon they are singled out by the president's wife as the most promising girls of their class, who anoints them: The Belles. They walk the college's halls in menacing unison, matching velvet ribbons in their hair. But no sisterhood comes without secrets, and the Belles are no exception. Playing cruel pranks on their dormitory housemother and embarking on boundary-shattering night games, the Belles test the limits of the campus rules.
But as Deena begins to piece together the sinister history of Bellerton, her own past threatens to come to light, forcing her to make a dangerous choice. A chilling and seductive coming-of-age story, The Belles is an excavation of the dark side of girlhood, the intricacies of privilege, and the unbridled desire to belong at any cost."
No one is as dark or dangerous as young girls.
Hot Wax by M.L. Rio
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The new novel from the bestselling author of If We Were Villains and Graveyard Shift - a vivid and immersive tale of one woman's reckless mission to make sense of the events that shattered her childhood, and made her who she is.
Summer, 1989: ten-year-old Suzanne is drawn like a magnet to her father's forbidden world of electric guitars and tricked-out cars. When her mother remarries, she jumps at the chance to tag along on the concert tour that just might be Gil and the Kills' wild ride to glory. But fame has sharper fangs than anybody realized, and as the band blazes up the charts, internal power struggles set Gil and his group on a collision course destined for a bloody reckoning - one shrouded in mystery and lore for decades to come.
The only witness to a desperate act of violence, Suzanne spends the next twenty-nine years trying to disappear. She trades the music and mayhem of her youth for the quiet of the suburbs and the company of her mild-mannered husband Rob. But when her father's sudden death resurrects the troubled past she tried so hard to bury, she leaves it all behind and hits the road in search of answers. Hitching her fate and Gil's beloved car to two vagabonds who call an old Airstream trailer home, she finds everything she thought she'd lost forever: desire, adventure, and the woman she once wanted to be. But Rob refuses to let her go. Determined to bring her back where she belongs, he chases her across the country - and drives her to a desperation all her own.
Drenched in knock-down drag-out rock and roll, Hot Wax is a raucous, breakneck ride to hell and back - where getting lost might be the only way to find yourself and save your soul."
Wait, do ten-year-olds usually know what they want to do with their lives?
House of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of Bloom and Guillotine comes a darkly seductive tale of beautiful rock stars, sinister cults, and a magical oasis where dreams come true...for a price.
Angelina Yves is a struggling singer/songwriter offered the chance of a lifetime to join the experimental luxury compound sponsored by the most famous band in the world, Black Idyll. With her every need accommodated, she finally has the time and space to perfect her music. Her muse? Reclusive rock star Jesper Idyll, who lives up to her every high school daydream. But this paradise has a haunted underbelly heralded by screaming horses, mysterious figures in the night, and dreams too twisted to be real. When people start to disappear and Jesper's ex turns up dead and hideously mutilated, Angelina begins to suspect that something malevolent lurks behind the cult that's grown around the band...
A disturbing, decadent and wickedly compelling tale of a Hollywood dream turned nightmare, Delilah S. Dawson's darkly delicious prose will seduce you, tie you up, and never let you go...."
The price is never worth paying. But the price of this book totally is.
The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson
Published by: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Kosoko Jackson comes his adult speculative debut, a stand-alone novel blending time travel and globe-hopping adventure, art history, and dark fantasy about magical paintings and the lengths people will go to collect them, destroy them…or be destroyed.
A picture is worth a thousand nightmares.
Art has always been an escape for struggling painter Lewis Dixon. But other than his mom, who has recently passed away, no one has ever praised his work. If he is being honest, there's really no one in his life. So he is shocked when the British Museum shows an unusual interest in his art. This is his chance to show the world what he's capable of…he just has no idea that he might also be saving the world at the same time.
As Lewis soon learns, he has not been invited to participate in a curated show, but rather a test: to see if the fugue-like exhilaration he experiences when painting is actually magic, a power that allows him to enter nine very special paintings - paintings made by his great-grandfather. Spread across the globe, these paintings have unbelievable eldritch abilities…and not necessarily beneficial ones. In terms of power, these are the most valuable works of art in the world, and there are those out there who would do anything to possess just one.
And Lewis, upon passing the test, has been asked to destroy them all.
Partnered with an alluring agent in museum's employ, Noah Rao, Lewis must travel to Japan, Australia, Nigeria - and the past - plunging himself into a world of black markets, gothic magic, ancient history, and cursed objects to save those unlucky enough to call any of the paintings their own - or to free the world from those who would misuse the power of the paintings. In doing so, he will need to discover if he has what it takes to truly be an artist, the confidence to finally open himself up to someone who could give his lonely life meaning, and the strength to enter and navigate a reality where magic is everywhere."
I have always been terrified of being trapped in a painting since I read The Witches.
They Fear Not Men in the Woods by Gretchen McNeil
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"For fans of Midsommar, Catriona Ward, and Sarah Gailey, this addictively readable modern horror novel unfolds like a movie with a climax you'll never see coming.
When Jen Monroe hears her father's remains have been found, she returns home to disprove his death, only to find the forests of rural Washington are hiding horrors beyond imagining.
Seven years ago, Jen Monroe left behind her hometown of Barrow, Washington after her father, a forest ranger passionate about protecting old trees from the aggressive logging business that runs their small town, vanished seemingly into thin air. She vowed never to return...until she gets a text from her estranged mother. Her father's remains have been found.
It seems impossible to Jen who has always believed her father is still alive, and she returns home, determined to find out what really happened. When her ex-boyfriend proposes a camping trip into the woods in her father's memory, it feels like the opportunity Jen had been hoping for: to find her father. To find the truth.
But what she finds lurking in the ancient, impenetrable forest may be deeper, darker and deadlier than she could have ever imagined. And it has no intention of letting her leave.
Deeply unsettling and thoroughly creepy, this is feminist horror for those who have always known there's something waiting in the woods."
Does everyone know to fear the woods?
We Are Always Tender with Our Dead by Eric LaRocca
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Michael McDowell's Blackwater meets Clive Barker's The Great and Secret Show in the disturbing first installment of a new trilogy of intense, visceral, beautifully written queer horror set in a small New England town.
A chilling supernatural tale of transgressive literary horror from the Bram Stoker Award® finalist and Splatterpunk Award-winning author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.
The lives of those residing in the isolated town of Burnt Sparrow, New Hampshire, are forever altered after three faceless entities arrive on Christmas morning to perform a brutal act of violence - a senseless tragedy that can never be undone. While the townspeople grieve their losses and grapple with the aftermath of the attack, a young teenage boy named Rupert Cromwell is forced to confront the painful realities of his family situation. Once relationships become intertwined and more carnage ensues as a result of the massacre, the town residents quickly learn that true retribution is futile, cruelty is earned, and certain thresholds must never be crossed no matter what.
Engrossing, atmospheric, and unsettling, this is a devastating story of a small New England community rocked by an unforgivable act of violence. Writing with visceral intensity and profound eloquence, LaRocca journeys deep into the dark heart of Burnt Sparrow, leaving you chilled to the bone and wanting more."
I am all here for horror in small New England towns!
The House of Quiet by Kiersten White
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A dark fantasy about a girl who will risk everything - posing as a maid, confronting powerful enemies, and unraveling deadly secrets - all to save her missing sister from the enigmatic House of Quiet.
To save her sister, she must enter the House.
In the middle of a deadly bog sits the House of Quiet. It's a place for children whose Procedure triggered powers too terrible to be lived with - their last hope for treatment. No one knows how they're healed or where they go afterward.
Birdie has begged, bargained, and blackmailed her way inside as a maid, determined to find her missing sister, Magpie. But what she discovers is more mysteries. Instead of the destitute children who undergo the Procedure in hopes of social advancement, the house brims with aristocratic teens wielding strange powers they never should have been burdened with.
Though Birdie wants to ignore them, she can't help being drawn to stoic and silent Forest, charmed by clever River, and concerned for the youngest residents. And with fellow maid Minnow keeping tabs on everything Birdie does, danger is everywhere.
In her desperate search for Magpie, Birdie unearths terrifying threats and devastating truths, forcing her to confront just how much she's willing to sacrifice to save her own sister. Because in the House of Quiet, if you find what's lurking beneath...you lose everything.
Unravel the mystery. Ignite the rebellion."
Interesting fauna inspired names...
The Haunting of William Thorn by Ben Alderson
Published by: Angry Robot
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"How to Sell a Haunted House meets The Haunting of Hill House in this split timeline queer romance, set against the backdrop of a haunted English manor from #1 bestselling author Ben Alderson.
William Thorn had his life all planned out...until he discovered his long-term boyfriend Archie in bed with another man. Distraught, William kicks him out of their home, where tragedy strikes when Archie is killed instantly in a car accident.
Riddled with guilt, William is shocked to learn that he's inherited a manor in the quaint village of Stonewall, left to him in Archie's will. He leaves the city with plans to make a new start for himself, but is surprised by the rundown state of the manor, and the unwelcoming villagers who want him gone. His only ally is Edward, a seemingly friendly local with secrets of his own...
However, it's not only the villagers who are adverse to his presence. A malevolent spirit roams the manor, one that seeks to drive William out for good. But when he uncovers the heartbreaking tale of two men in love in the 1920's, William strives to find peace for the spirit, ending the haunting once and for all.
But what dark secrets lie hidden in the manor walls? And will William be able to put aside his own grief to save his new home...and his life?
An evocative tale from #1 bestselling author Ben Alderson, exploring grief, trauma and the bones of the past, The Haunting of William Thorn is the perfect read for fans of the gothic."
It might be awkward if Archie starts haunting the house too...
Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A woman must confront the demons of her past when she attempts to fix up her childhood home in this devilishly clever take on the haunted house novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Black Sheep and So Thirsty.
Clio Louise Barnes leads a picture-perfect life as a stylist and influencer, but beneath the glossy veneer she harbors a not-so glamorous secret: she grew up in a haunted house. Well, not haunted. Possessed. After Clio's parents' messy divorce, her mother, Alex, moved Clio and her sisters into a house occupied by a demon. Or so Alex claimed. That's not what Clio's sisters remember or what the courts determined when they stripped her of custody after she went off the deep end. But Alex was insistent; she even wrote a book about her experience in the house.
After Alex's sudden death, the supposedly possessed house passes to Clio and her sisters. Where her sisters see childhood trauma, Clio sees an opportunity for house flipping content. Only, as the home makeover process begins, Clio discovers there might be some truth to her mother's claims. As memories resurface and Clio finally reads her mother's book, a sinister presence in the house manifests, revealing ugly truths that threaten to shake Clio's beautiful life to its very foundation."
I love haunted house home rehab!
The (Most Unusual) Haunting of Edgar Lovejoy by Roan Parrish
Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Jamie Wendon-Dale may design haunted houses, but they don't actually believe in ghosts - until they meet Edgar Lovejoy, who is tall, clever, beautiful...and 100% haunted.
A cozy, ghostly LGBTQIA+ Romance.
Jamie Wendon-Dale (transmasc they/them) creates haunted houses for a living. Haunting is their life - but nobody working New Orleans' spooky circuit actually believes in ghosts.
Edgar Lovejoy (cis he/him) is 100% haunted. No, really. Ghosts have tormented him since childhood and he's organized his life around attempts to avoid them.
Opposites? Get ready to attract. But while Jamie's biggest concern is that Edgar sometimes seems a bit distracted, Edgar's fears are much greater. Not only is he scared of encountering the dearly departed whenever he leaves the house, but he's terrified of making himself vulnerable to Jamie. After all, how do you tell someone who believes ghosts only exist as smoke and mirrors that you see them everywhere you go? And how can you trust in a happy future when you can't even believe in yourself?
A little spooky, a little magical, and a whole lot cozy: The (Most Unusual) Haunting of Edgar Lovejoy will leave you feeling like you've found a brand new bookish family of your own."
I mean, the only thing worse than living in a haunted house is if you are haunted.
A Hexcellent Chance to Fall in Love by Ann Rose
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In this slightly spooky paranormal romance, will two women finally break their curse and get the happily ever after they've fought for?
Each year, when no one is paying attention, The Dead of Night Halloween store appears in a new location with its giant sign and great low prices. No one sees them setting up or tearing down - one day it's just there and then, two days after Halloween, it's gone.
Pepper White knows exactly how this works. For five years, ever since the last Keeper of the Store tricked her, she has been cursed - appearing when the store does, and disappearing when it goes away. People will remember The Dead of Night, but they'll completely forget Pepper. That is, until Christina Loring walks in the door. Their chemistry is instantaneous and, for the first time in five years, Pepper finds herself wishing for more time.
But how do you tell the girl you're falling for that you're cursed and that you only have ten weeks together before Christina forgets...everything? To have a chance at happily ever after, Pepper has to do the one thing she swore she wouldn't - find the right treat to trick someone else into taking on the curse. But all's fair in love and spells, and this spooky season, Pepper and Christina are ready to stir up trouble in the name of love."
I love that someone out there went, you know, I want to make a love story with a curse about Spirit Halloween stores.
A Fellowship of Games and Fables by J. Penner
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 272 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"From cold rivalry to hot cocoa and warm hearts.
Jez, a grumpy fennex, wants nothing to do with the winter games descending on Adenashire. She'd rather sleep through winter than deal with the snow, the noise, or the swarm of visitors in town. But a drunken boast lands her smack in the middle of the festivities and, even worse, fake dating her endlessly cheerful friend, Taenya, a woodland elf.
Plagued by chronic fatigue and past heartbreak, Jez has long guarded her heart. Not to mention she has a secret she'd rather not share. Yet Taenya's warmth and patience begin to melt her icy exterior. Together, the two women tackle challenges - from ice sculpting to scavenger hunts - and their reluctant partnership becomes something deeper, built on laughter, trust, and a shared love of cozy corners and quiet moments.
With the help of her quirky friend group and the magic of a town that thrives on togetherness, Jez begins to open up - not just to the festivities but to the possibility of healing, connection, and maybe even joy."
The best things in life are built on a shared love of cozy corners and quiet moments.
Roots of My Fears edited by Gemma Amor
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"British Fantasy and Bram Stoker-nominated author Gemma Amor brings together a unique line-up of 13 authors to explore heritage and horror, featuring stories from Gabino Iglesias, Erika T. Wurth and many more.
It's a bedtime story, ancient family lore, a secret passed down from generation to generation. Stories that have deep dark roots, ever-growing, ever-creeping.
This anthology explores stories of heritage and horror. The tales we grew up on, hometown rumours and legends.
The things we pass down through our bloodlines.
Featuring stories from:
Erika Wurth
Ai Jiang
Usman T Malik
Adam Nevill
Nuzo Onoh
Premee Mohamed
Gabino Iglesias
Nadia El-Fassi
Ramsey Campbell
V. Castro
Hailey Piper
Elena Sichrovsky
Caleb Weinhardt
Sarah Deacon"
I mean, here for ALL of this, but particularly here for Premee Mohamed.
The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The Maiden and Her Monster is a gorgeous, atmospheric debut fantasy rooted in history, folklore, and sapphic romance - perfect for fans of Katherine Arden, Ava Reid, Hannah Whitten, and Naomi Novik.
The forest eats the girls who wander out after dark.
As the healer's daughter, Malka has seen how the wood's curse has plagued her village, but the Ozmini Church only comes to collect its tithe, not to protect heretics with false stories of monsters in the trees. So when a clergy girl wanders too close to the forest and Malka's mother is accused of her murder, Malka strikes an impossible bargain with a zealot Ozmini priest. If she brings the monster out, he will spare her mother from execution.
When she ventures into the shadowed woods, Malka finds a monster, though not the one she expects: an inscrutable, disgraced golem who agrees to implicate herself, but only if Malka helps her fulfill a promise first and free the imprisoned rabbi who created her.
But a deal easily made is not easily kept. And as their bargain begins to unravel a much more sinister threat, protecting her people may force Malka to endanger the one person she left home to save - and face her growing feelings for the very creature she was taught to fear."
It's golem time!
The Book of I by David Greig
Published by: Europa Editions
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 160 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"A brilliant Scottish debut, shortlisted for the Highland Book Prize and the Bookmark Book Festival Book of the Year.
The year is 825 CE. In the aftermath of a vicious attack by raiders from the north, an unlikely trio finds themselves the lone survivors on a remote Scottish isle. Still breathing are young Brother Martin, the only resident of the local monastery to escape martyrdom; Una, a beekeeper and mead maker who has been relieved of her violent husband during the slaughter; and Grimur, an aging Norseman who claws his way out of the hasty grave his fellow raiders left him in, thinking him dead.
As the seasons pass in this wild and lonely setting, their inherent distrust of each other melts into a complex meditation on the distances and bonds between them. Told with humor and alive with sharply exquisite dialogue, David Greig deftly lifts the curtain between our world and the past. The Book of I is an entirely unique novel that serves as a philosophical commentary on guilt and redemption, but also humanity, love, and the things we choose to believe in."
Because these three people seem like those I'd want to hang with for awhile.
A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap by Rob Reiner
Published by: Gallery Books
Publication Date: September 9th, 2025
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"For the first time, director Rob Reiner and cocreators Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer provide the full behind-the-scenes story of the making of the groundbreaking mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap and its upcoming sequel.
Since its original release in 1984, This Is Spinal Tap has evolved from a beloved cult film into a cinematic landmark: an all-time comedy classic that pioneered an entire genre, the mockumentary. Now, director Rob Reiner and his cowriters and costars, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, tell the complete story of the movie and its fictitious band - how they met, how Spinal Tap came to be, and how their low-budget indie film took on a life of its own. Years after the movie first came out, the Library of Congress selected This Is Spinal Tap for inclusion in the National Film Registry and Tap went on to play The Royal Albert Hall, Wembley Stadium, and to over 100,000 fans at the Glastonbury Festival in England.
Reiner, Guest, McKean, and Shearer provide the backstories to the movie's famous lines - among them "Hello, Cleveland!," "None more black," "You can't dust for vomit," and "These go to eleven" - and to such Tap anthems as "Big Bottom" and "Stonehenge." Featuring never-before-seen photographs, band memorabilia, and personal reminiscences of their enduring creative partnership, A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever will delight Tap-heads of all ages - just as the long-awaited Spinal Tap sequel is hitting theaters.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever also comes with a bonus memoir by Reiner's directorial alter ego, Marty DiBergi, in which he interviews Tap band members Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins, and Derek Smalls about their musical journey and their drummers who paid the ultimate sacrifice to the rock gods."
OK, of all the great quotes in this perfect film I don't think anyone is quoting "You can't dust for vomit."
Even if you've never watched it all Anglophiles are aware of Death in Paradise, the Caribbean based murder mystery with a revolving door of leads. In fact, the series created by Robert Thorogood is so popular that he has written four books and co-created two spinoffs, Beyond Paradise and Return to Paradise, AKA The Paraverse, and no, I didn't make that up. One of which I will never watch due to my hatred of a certain actor. Which might also be why I've never watched the original show despite Danny John-Jules being in it. When it was announced back in 2020 that Robert Thorogood was writing a new book series it was inevitably going to be a television series. There literally was no doubt. Proven even more by the fact that before season one had even aired a second season had been commissioned. I really wanted to like this show, I mean Samantha Bond was in my favorite adaptation of Mansfield Park and most recently was on Downton Abbey, and Jo Martin is the Fugitive Doctor! I mean, right there, two classy ladies. The problem is this show felt more like it belonged on BritBox or Acorn, not PBS. Now this isn't to slam these two wonderful streaming services, or to point out that most of Robert Thorogood's shows now are through BritBox, this was just a gut feeling I had when watching the show. To be worthy of being on Masterpiece Mystery!, or as I still call it, Mystery!, you kind of have to be a classic. This is the home of Holmes and Rumpole, Morse and Campion, Lynley and Foyle, Lewis and Wallander, Miss Scarlet and Atticus Pünd, and I'm sorry, Judith Potts isn't worthy. Not even going into the fact that she's completely unlikable, because you can connect to cantankerous and churlish detectives, she's just flat. Her character feels like a non-character. She's ostensibly the lead and she just falls short. When her life is in danger I actually wanted her to die. I knew she wouldn't because of the aforementioned renewal, but she and her swimming about in the Thames could have come to a messy end and I wouldn't have cared. And I don't know if it's how she's written, but it felt like Samantha Bond was phoning it in. Like she would just show up and kind of woodenly deliver her performance and call it a day. But it's obvious this show really doesn't care what you think about the characters, because there are several people in Marlow who need to be culled over the coming seasons. Starting with DS Perry. Though really, so much of this could have been overlooked if it was tightly plotted and believable. When the ending is revealed it's so ludicrously bad that I almost couldn't believe it. For awhile I thought that Judith Potts's evil ex was going to make an appearance, but they're apparently saving him for later, instead this was even stupider than what I thought possible. It was Strangers on a Train but with three killers and they all knew each other from school but hadn't seen each other in years. Despite living in the same town. Which has a population of 14,000 people. FFS. They deserved to be caught even if Judith Potts and Co. didn't deserve to catch them.
Liam Mathews who writes for TV Guide said of season one of The Old Man that it "had one of the most precipitous in-season declines in recent TV history. If it had maintained the level of thoughtfulness and tension of its first two episodes, it would have been one of the best shows of 2022... But it fell apart as it went along, becoming mired in portentous monologues and baffling plot choices before ending with a reveal so obvious that I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be surprising or not." And I honestly can't disagree with that statement. At all. In fact I couldn't have said it better myself. And that's why I chose to quote another writer. This show thrives on one thing and one thing alone, Jeff Bridges kicking ass. So what do they spend all their time doing? Waffling around issues and bogging down the show in bewildering plotlines in what feels like a deliberate attempt to draw it out for as many episodes as they can. Because striped bare this show isn't about politics it's about daddy issues. And Alia Shawkat's "Angela Adams" dealing with her three dads. She's got her real dad, her stepdad, and her work dad... And is this really supposedly prestige TV because it sounds like it could be a comedy in the eighties? This bait and switch from action to family angst couldn't have been good for ratings. If it wasn't for the fact I respect the actors and was mildly intrigued by the annoying cliffhanger I wouldn't have even tuned in for season two. And if I'm honest, I wish I hadn't turned in. The poster for this season I think captures it all, they're treating the Middle East like the Wild West and it's all about exploiting the indigenous people and leaning into the white savior complex all our characters carry around like a millstone. I don't care if this is about a girl stuck between words, or whatever they were trying to do with Parwana/Emily/Angela. If they gave out Razzies for television shows Alia Shawkat would have taken all the prizes. This show was so out of touch with reality and with utlizing the talent they had at their disposal that they ended up making one of the worst television shows in recent years that, like an old horse, as been thankfully put out of it's misery. To show how badly this show dragged out it's plot Janet McTeer, who here plays John Lithgow's ex-wife, shows up in the second to last episode and in ONE SCENE summarizes everything that we have been forced to endure and explains why this has happened and what the goals are and I was blown away. You mean I could have been saved hours of my life by just having Janet McTeer show up and just tell me what was happening in a few short minutes? Can I opt for that in the future? Or maybe not. She and John Lithgow are on my shit list because of a certain long term commitment they recently entered into with HBO. At least I never have to her about Parwana/Emily/Angela again and that right there is a goal I never knew I needed in my life.
Honeyeater by Kathleen Jennings
Season of Fear by Emily Cooper
The Shattered King by Charlie N. Holmberg
Grave Flowers by Autumn Krause
Making History by K.J. Parker
These Dreaming Spires edited by Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane
Where We Were Monsters by Jennifer Niven
Bad in the Blood by Matteo L. Cerilli
Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
A Special Interest in Murder by Mette Ivie Harrison
Buried Above Ground by Mike Ripley
Spider to the Fly by J.H. Markert
The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith
The Mistletoe Murder Club by Katie Marsh
A Deadly Night at the Theatre by Katy Watson
The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredericks
A Lady's Guide to Murder by Felicity George
The Treasures by Harriet Evans
Bad Juliet by Giles Blunt
Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? by Sarah McCoy
Let's Split Up by Bill Wood
If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson
Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain
Hot Desk by Laura Dickerman
We'll Prescribe You Another Cat by Syou Ishida
Head Witch in Charge by Avery Flynn
Crazy Spooky Love by Josie Silver
By the Horns by Ruby Dixon
The Baby Dragon Bakery by A.T. Qureshi
Adaptations of books were abundant this year. So much so that even if I watched a show this year if I knew it was getting another season I saved it for the future. Which means, yes, I loved Murderbot, I'm just not talking about it. Yet. Because Ruth Ellis only got four episodes to tell her life story so she was one and done. Though damn. I really relate so hard to a character that's head is full of old television theme songs and doesn't want to make eye contact. That being Murderbot, not Ruth Ellis. Though that could have been an interesting twist in that depressing story. And because I'm me I watched a lot of British adaptations this year which meant that there were several actors who've made multiple appearances here. Keeley Hawes crushed it on The Midwhich Cuckoos AND Miss Austen where she costarred in both with Synnove Karlsen, once playing her mother and once playing the same character but obviously older. As for Alfred Enoch? So delightful in Miss Austen and then so amusingly unhinged in The Couple Next Door. But don't think these weird reoccurrences were limited to actors, oh no! Neston Park in Wiltshire was owned by Lady Tressilian in Towards Zero AND Lord Tony Baddingham in Rivals. Now that is a showdown I'd like to watch. Or how about we just sign Anjelica Huston up for a role on Rivals. I think she'd be perfect in how she chews the scenery. I mean that has to be why they just cast Rupert Everett! So here's to all the books adapted this year and all the rest to come. What adaptations have you been enjoying this year? Or dare I ask, which adaptations did you despise? I'm physically recoiling at the thought of ANOTHER Tommy and Tuppence adaptation.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
The Magician's Land by Lev Grossman
